Direction indicator



v. M. FowLER DIRECTION INDICATOR Nov. `27, 1923 Filed April 18, 1922 Patented Nov. 27, 19123.

UNITED STATES 1,425,293 `Pjye'lENr" y ortica.

'VICTOR ivi. rownna on sroKANn, wAsnINGToN.

1 DIRECTION INDICATOR. l

lApplication,:ned April 18,1922. serial m1554331,

To all a0/10m t may concern.' l.

Beit known that I, VICTOR M, F oWLER, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Spokane, in Spokane County and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Direction Indicators, of which the following is a specification.

Mypresent invention relates to improvements in direction indicators for use in conneetion with automobilesl and automotive vehicles, and is designed for use either with closed cars or open type of cars. When used with a closed car the indicator isusually mounted on or within the door frame, and when adapted for use with open cars may be supported from the windshield, or other con.- venient accessory. In either event the indicator, in the form of a hand, is provided with means for illumination at night effective when the indicator is moved to operative position. The indicator is of the folding type embodying :in its construction members or pivoted blades simulating the fingers of a hand, and is actuated by manually operated means under control of the driver, located for convenience `adjacent to the steering wheel of the-automobile.

The invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter more specifically set forth and pointed outin the appended claims. AIn the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of myiinvention inY which'the parts are combined and arranged according to the best mode Iv have thus far-devised for the practical application of the principles of my invention.

Figure 1 is a view showing so much of a closed automobile as is necessary to yillustrate the application thereto of mv invention, the indicator being shown in operative position or extended. Y v

Figure 2 is a detail view showing the manual control for the device supported on the steering wheel post.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view ofthe device, detached, with the indicator in iextended or-unfolded operative position.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view through the housing with the indicator retracted in inoperative position, and showing also the relation thereto of the illuminating lamp.

n Figure 5 an enlarged detail, sectional` view of the `closure for the housing, which closure forms the lever 'for actuating the foldable indicator.

Figure 6y is a transverse vertical sectional View of 4the leverv showing the sliding con# nection of a lever arm thereto. f

Figure 7 is a detail view showing the attachment of the electric lamp to the lever or closure.

F or convenience of illustration and dev scription I have shown the steering wheel4 and post, as l and 2,and.indicated a portion of the body of the closed automobile asl 3, to which parts thesubject matter ofthe invention may with facility. be conveniently attached.V y

The indicator, as shown is Vmade to simulate a hand, and isshown as comprising a comparatively long blade or base member 4, three fingers as 5, and a fourth finger as 6, the fingers or blades 5' and 6 being pivoted on a pin 7 passing through the main blade 4. The main blade is pivoted at 8 on a pin which passes transversely through and is fixedV within the upright housing 9 for the indicator.`

The housing 9 is preferably of metal, rectangular in shape, and is fashioned with attachinganges 10 by means of which it is secured inrigid position to the automoj bile frame orto a windshieldV as desired. .At

one side the house or housingis open,

throughwhichthe lingers of the indicating A closurefor the-housing is provided byV theswingin-g arm 11, which is of metal, and as shown in Figure 6 has side flanges 12 that fit within the open face of the housing when the device is in closed position. This closure device forms a lever, for operating the indicator, which 'is pivoted on the pin 8, and is also pivoted at 13 to the main blade 4. At its pivoted end the lever is fashioned with a box or inclosure having slots 14 in its sides 4topermit relative movement of the lever and main blade as they yswing onv the common -pivot y8, and a crossfbar 15fjoins the two slotted Y'sides of the lever. box, as seen in Figure 5, to act as an abutment for the main blade 4 and limit outward opening movement of the indicator. y

The lever is causedv to swing outwardly a hand lever 16 in the form of a crank,

which is pivoted, as in collars 17 on the steeringY post 2. A connecting rod 18 and link 19 connect the crank lever and lever 11 as shown, and it will be apparent that by turning the hand lever 16 the indicator may be swung on its pivot as desired. As the indicator is swung to operative position, it is extended and the lingers opened, through the slide connectionof the lever arm 6 with the lever 11. In Figures 5 and 6 it will be seen that one of the side flanges 12 of the lever 11 is slotted as at 20, and a roller 21 on the lever arm has a rolling action along the walls of this slot as the lever swings on its pivot 8. The outward swing of the lever 11 is limited by Contact of the bridge or bar 15 witha fixed pin 22 passed through the housing, and in position to intercept the lever-box as the lever swings outwardly.

An anti-rattling `device or cushion 23, for the blades or lingers of the foldable indicator may be used as a lining in the closure or lever 11 inorder to prevent noise and to cushion the movement of the folding blades of the indicator as they swing to closed position on `their pivots 7 and 8.

For daytime use it will be apparent that the indicator may be turned down to horizontal position as indicated in Figure 3 by turning the crank handle 16 of Figure 2, and the link 19, which when the device is in retracted position assumes the horizontal position indicated in Figure 4, forces the lever or closure 11 to swing out and down on its pivot 8, carrying with it the hand. The main blade 4 swings with the lever, until its pivoted inner end, which is provided with a shoulder 24, encounters the bridge bar 15. The main blade is now held stationary, while the lever, vbecause of its slot 14 is permitted to have an additional movement relative to the stationary main blade. This additional movement, through the link linger or blade 6, causes the intermediate blades 5 to swing on their pivot 7 in the main blade, thus openingv the fingers of the hand to position in Figure 3. A turn of the crank handle 16 in the opposite direction will cause. the lever to swing up toward the housing, closing the blades within the lever and housing, and thus retracting the indicator. Y

For illuminating the indicator, as at night, an electric lamp 25 is employed and prof vided with usual'electrical connections and controlr switch. The lampriscarried a namens lamp casing `261m. the forml of a cylinder located at the underside of the lever, and the lever is slotted as seen in Figure 4 to permit thelight rays, passing through the lever or closure, when the latter isk opened,

for illuminating the indicator. Within the casing, and attached to the closure or lever 11 is a'suppo-rting bracket 27 for the lamp socket 28 and a clamp nut 29 secures the lamp and socketin the bracket. The casing encloses the lamp and socket, as well as the bracket, and a vremovable cover 30 is provided-for the casing. The casing is connected with the closure or lever by attaching lugs 31 engaged in slots of the lever, and the casing and cover are removable, as indicated in dotted lines Figure 7 to give access to the lamp for renewal or adjustment. The lamp may be equipped with connections whereby it is illumined only when the indicator is swung to open position, and automatically extinguished when the indivcator is swung to closedposition. By enclosing the lamp in itscasing vthe light rays of the illuminated lamp shine only on the extended indicator thus Vclearly displaying the indicator at night and rendering the indicator visible to the driver of a succeeding vehicle, or to others for usual purposes.

Having thus fully -described my invention, what'l claim is Y 1. The combination in a foldable indicator with an open-housing, of a slotted closuredevice having a pivotal connection at the lower end ofl said housing, a main blade bodily movable with said closure device and pivoted thereto, intermediate blades pivoted on said main blade, one of said intermediate blades having a sliding pivotal connection with the closure device, means for limiting the movement of the main blade with relation to the closure device, and means for limiting the swinging movement of the closure device.

2. The combination in a foldable indicator with an open housing, of a closure formed with slots in its sides and fashioned with slotted slide flanges providing aI box-like structure, a pivotpin at the lower end of Vthe housing passed through said slots in the sides of the closure, means for actuating the closure, a main blade fixed on said pin and pivoted in the closure, intermediate blades pivoted on the mai-n blade, and one of said blades having a pivoted sliding connectionwiththe slotted side anges ofthe closure.

In testimony ywhereof I atlix my signature. f

VCTORy M. FOWLE. 

